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Virginia, 2005- 2020
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Virginia, aka “Good Girl”, “Puppy”, “Pooper”, "Thumper", and "Gray Lady", left us on 11/17/2020 at the ripe old age of 15-1/2 years. She was a survivor. Having started life on the streets of downtown KC, I (Marshall) found her and her labrador brothers late one workday in an empty lot. She was the only black one and the only female, and she first endeared herself to us when, trailing her brothers down an alley, she managed to knock them all over like a bowling ball when all except her stopped at our beckoning. We found homes for the brothers, but Virginia was to be ours.Nothing would keep her down. She had so much energy that Aimee started running again to tire her out each day. She was the perfect running companion for hundreds of miles, and it always made me feel better knowing how she would put herself between my wife and danger.
In the early years, she chewed everything, from the vintage heirloom sofa to the baseboard on the wall. When I had foot surgery, she napped with me, resting her head on my belly. Then came our children, and she graciously accepted them one by one into our ‘pack’. In fact, I’m pretty sure that is when she made my wife her fave.Each day she was unsatisfied until the last of us were back in the house safely. And this was tough, because we travelled a lot. Whether we were gone 5 weeks or 5 minutes, she always welcomed us home with a smile.In her prime, she was svelte. An athlete, just like my wife. Everyone commented on how beautiful she was, even after she “retired" from running. She and I grew old and gray and arthritic together.
In 15-1/2 years, she never ever left a morsel of food in her bowl. Not even on her last day. She did leave plenty drips of water all over the kitchen floor.
We miss you dearly, Virginia. You reflected more perfectly than any broken human the attributes of God—unconditional love, loyalty, faithfulness and joy. You were His gift to us. I wish we could know what God’s eternal plan is for pets, but if you are with Him, I am confident he greeted your arrival with “Well done, Good Girl. Well done."
